Finishing the race and following through
Monday, May 31, 2010 at 16:11
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Landon Gall, a first-year firefighter in Valleyview, pushes himself to his limits as he competes in the Grande Prairie Fire Department's Firefit Combat Challenge 2010, Saturday, May 29. Gall was one of the few rural volunteer firefighters competing against competitors from larger departments including Grande Prairie, Kamloops, Edmonton, Medicine Hat and the Department of National Defence, as well as several industrial emergency response teams.
I had the opportunity to photograph two different sports this weekend, however, there was a common theme.
Without perseverance and following through, you don't win. It doesn't matter if the sport is easy for you or one that almost pushes you over the edge.
The same is true with life and what we do with our lives.
If we give up, we are never going to accomplish anything.
Stop and think of the one or two people you admire most, either as a person, an athlete, mentor or a role model.
Chances are the fact that they were dedicated enough to train, push themselves after "hitting the wall" and follow through to a good finish, is the the very reason you admire them.
Too often we want things to come easily — the quick dollar, fast weight loss, the short cut to success. Well that isn't the way things are.
That doesn't mean we alone, through our own efforts, can accomplish everything including our salvation. But, even the apostle Paul talked about finishing and following through using athletics as an example. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7
We need to be disciplined as we strive toward our goals physically, mentally and spiritually. I hope you enjoy some of these photos. Until next week.
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Ben Sargent of the Grande Prairie fire department pushes himself to the finish line as he competes in the Grande Prairie Fire Department's Firefit Combat Challenge 2010, Saturday, May 29. 
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Evan Heuchert of the Leduc Fire Services is helped away from the finish line by colleagues after an exhausting race. His T-shirt bears the quote : "Those who sweat more in training; bleed less in combat."
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Devon Goodswimmer of St. Stephen's school in Valleyview pushes himself over the bar in high jump at the high school zones at Legion Field Saturday.
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Josh Garneau of the Leduc Fire Services pushes himself to his limits as he drags a 175-pound rescue dummy to the finish line in the Grande Prairie Fire Department's Firefit Combat Challenge 2010, Saturday, May 29. 
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Bethany Fisher, a Grade 9 student at Grande Prairie Christian School, follows through after firing a discus at the high school zones at Legion Field Saturday.
Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie , Alberta 10-05-29 Chase Doll, of PWA, launches himself into the air over the long jump pit at the high school zones meet at Legion Field Saturday morning.